I'll be installing it on Saturday if things work out. and my Megan coilovers arrive on Monday. I will do a full suspension overhaul and install once those arrive and drop the car about 2" for a nice fender to tire kiss.
Spring Restoration - Project old school MK3 revival
- Thread starter Altezza576
- Start date
OK, so I decided to get up and tackle the dirty job again. I prepped myself for coilover, swaybar, downpipe and exhaust installation today. I am somewhat of a new to finding my way around an MK3 although it does share many characteristics with the Sc300 and MK4 Supra.
So after being completely frustrated about 10 minutes into attempting to remove the REAR TEMS, I decided to return to SM and do a quick how to search! At that point I gained some confidence and tore into the hatch seeing how thise thing had to come apart.
after fighting with the driver side, the passenger side was a little faster.
Finally both rears are off.
Jackin up for progress
My Workshirt
Megans are going in... I like the finsh and the fitment of the Megans, I dont know why people give them such a bad rap. I have had good luck with them.
While I am under there.. Im not wasting time with 25yo end links.... HELLO GRINDER!
I will order 4 new front and rear swaybar links. (they wont be going on today.)
Making Progress....
Front TEMS removed
I did the MK4 technique for the front by removing the long azz A-Arm bolt and letting the suspension fall outward for clearance to remove those log OEM struts.
Front Left Before
Front left after - no adjustment.
Front Right After - apparently this supra suffers from uneven stance as well just like the SC and MK4's. Same height on coils but this side is tucked - Oh well it will be fixed!
A little too teenager tucked for me.... I need pimp but functional, not "Ummm what is all tha rubbing noise when I turn?"
So after being completely frustrated about 10 minutes into attempting to remove the REAR TEMS, I decided to return to SM and do a quick how to search! At that point I gained some confidence and tore into the hatch seeing how thise thing had to come apart.
after fighting with the driver side, the passenger side was a little faster.
Finally both rears are off.
Jackin up for progress
My Workshirt
Megans are going in... I like the finsh and the fitment of the Megans, I dont know why people give them such a bad rap. I have had good luck with them.
While I am under there.. Im not wasting time with 25yo end links.... HELLO GRINDER!
I will order 4 new front and rear swaybar links. (they wont be going on today.)
Making Progress....
Front TEMS removed
I did the MK4 technique for the front by removing the long azz A-Arm bolt and letting the suspension fall outward for clearance to remove those log OEM struts.
Front Left Before
Front left after - no adjustment.
Front Right After - apparently this supra suffers from uneven stance as well just like the SC and MK4's. Same height on coils but this side is tucked - Oh well it will be fixed!
A little too teenager tucked for me.... I need pimp but functional, not "Ummm what is all tha rubbing noise when I turn?"
Time to liberate this car from the rice that infested it in the mid to late 90's. Good bye 5" RACTIVE crap!
As you can see the rear muffler section has rotted and rusted pretty bad.
Bootleg! damn son ever hear about stainless?
Got the old system out.... I just impact gunned the crap outta to cat bolts to break them. Notice the patch work welding and nickel sized hole at the bend.
Tanabe is going in......
After fighting with those rubber donut hangers.. I finally got this thing on. This exhaust was one of the toughtest I have had todeal with. I dont know why, but it just took a lot out of me. Im usually pretty quick with them but maybe since it the first time under the car I had to do things the hard way first!
The fitment and finish of the Tanabe is superior to most others.... I would have loved to support a local fabbed vendor here but they all were taking too long to stock. Either way I picked up the Medallion from Driftmotion. The exhaust is very quiet... it seems like stock (which I love) I have a few holes in the OEM downpipe that I will fix by installing the BIC DDP. Once I clean up all the leaks I can then appreciate the exhaust
So... I now have to order 4 end links. When they get here I will install the swaybars (going to ge another cutting wheel and some metal sawzall blades to quickly remove this old leftovers.... adjust the ride height on all 4 corners of the Megan coilovers. Maybe I will paint the fender liners black again since the car has been painted a few times with no fender liner masking by previous owner. I will then install the short lugs and locks and install the caps of the EurolineDH wheels.
Stay tuned for more updates.
Now I am debating if I should reinstall the hatch trim, or gut it all out sand and fix the rust and repaint it pearl white. (For a clean track car look) or.... maybe Dynamat Black the entire thing.
Nice work! You're making great progress and I like your choice for the exhaust.
I agree with you about the Megan coilovers. I've had my set for over a year and I've had no problems with them. My car is not a DD, so the spring rates are not an issue for me.
I agree with you about the Megan coilovers. I've had my set for over a year and I've had no problems with them. My car is not a DD, so the spring rates are not an issue for me.
While I am awaiting swaybars links to arrive.... I am pondering a engine swap. I'd like to do a 1UZ, but I think a 1JZ is much more realistic with the timelines I have set for myself. I have a few questions here in the motor swap forum: request for 1JZ info
Pulled out the Supra today before it gets the 7M yanked out
Coils definitely need to be levelled off.
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Wow, after what feels like an eternity with an angle grinder.. I have now cut off all the OEM swaybar links. I cleaned and regreased all the bushings on the swaybars. and reinstalled the front and rears. This was a daunting task as these OEM bolts were rusted to hell and back. Not to mention the lack of clearance on the passenger rear side, as the fuel tank strap is completely in the way of removing the sway bar bracket. took me like 20min with a 12mm wrench.. to ease that sucker out and back in! All I have to say is ... thank goodness for Liquid Wrench! Front swaybar was a hot mess due to grease party. Thanks to USPS for allegedly trying to deliver my new sway links and claiming i wasnt home all Saturday so now I gotta go grab them at the post office and install just the end links tomorrow eve. ugh..... few more steps till the hard work is done.
Once I get these end links installed .... Im gonna take the car for an alignment, then I will pull out the 7M drivetrain.
So I get my swaybar end links from Tawain eBay seller... all 4 for $80. That crazy chinaman.. .he sends me four of the same links. I was very hesitant to install them, but it seems that they fit pretty well in the front and rear. So hey.... They will have to suffice until I can provethey are not working out. I also dabbed some anti Seize on the threads so they dont bind and corrode after a few runs in the rain in case i have to remove them. So that completes my suspension mods for now.
I have begun pulling the 7MGTE out of the chassis. It took me a while to remove the Stock DP. (that thing has not been touched since the car was built in 86-87) Sure enough it was a bitch to get the bottom 14mm nut between engine and turbo. I ended up jacking up the car and using a combo 14mm wrench and a pipe for leverage against the block to break it lose. After about 10min of 1/4 turning that sucker it came off. I also disconnected the PS, alternator, Cruise, throttle cables, all the crap behind the battery and fuse box. Tomorrow I will tackle the AC, grounds, battery cable, fuel lines and snake the harness out and undo the motor mounts. Once I bust all tha free I'll drain all fluids and removes hoses and radiator from chassis.
I hope there is an easy way to get the motor mounts off the block without having to remove the turbo, and intake mani.
I have begun pulling the 7MGTE out of the chassis. It took me a while to remove the Stock DP. (that thing has not been touched since the car was built in 86-87) Sure enough it was a bitch to get the bottom 14mm nut between engine and turbo. I ended up jacking up the car and using a combo 14mm wrench and a pipe for leverage against the block to break it lose. After about 10min of 1/4 turning that sucker it came off. I also disconnected the PS, alternator, Cruise, throttle cables, all the crap behind the battery and fuse box. Tomorrow I will tackle the AC, grounds, battery cable, fuel lines and snake the harness out and undo the motor mounts. Once I bust all tha free I'll drain all fluids and removes hoses and radiator from chassis.
I hope there is an easy way to get the motor mounts off the block without having to remove the turbo, and intake mani.
Altezza576;1549112 said:
If you look from under the car, you will see a hole on either side of the subframe under the engine mounts. From there you can remove a nut that secures the rubber engine mounts to the sub-frame. That will aid in your removal.
Nice progress! Car is coming together. I can vouch for the 1UZ swap, I love mine in its stock form, has plenty of tourque right away, but the JZ engines will be a much more "simple" swap. I compared the two, for the amount of money I invested into the 1UZ swap I could have gone 2JZ-GTE and maby even a cost efective single turbo set up. Either way, good luck!
Chambers, thanks for the kind words. I have not yet ruled out the 1UZ. I would love to drop a V8 in this bish! I am not ordering any new motorset until i have cleaned the engine bay spotless with Simple green and repainted it, pearl white. I am still looking for wiring diagrams and documented swaps to assist me in the parts. I also noticed a thailand company that sells 1UZ/W58 bellhousings I just need to sort out motor mounts and other hard to fab parts as I don't have a TIG welder, just a simple electric MIG that does simple basic welds. I am always reading the "OtherEngine forum" here. I would love to trade tuning secrets with you to become a little more familiar with this MA70 chassis. If Ican get the 1UZ to work without a standalone... then I am in.
BTW... when I mention removing the motor mounts, I meant removing the mounts from the block. not mounts from subframe. I hope I can fit tools between intake and exhaust mani to get them off.
Besides that...
I successfully drained the engine oil, coolant and tranny fluid. Unbolted the slave cyl, tranny mounts, motor mounts, and that little dampener strut under the starter. I simply cut the rubber fuel lines, and undid all the grounds. Removed coolant hoses and IC pipes, clutch fan.
Tomorrow I will pull the harness through the firewall and remove the engine.
BTW... when I mention removing the motor mounts, I meant removing the mounts from the block. not mounts from subframe. I hope I can fit tools between intake and exhaust mani to get them off.
Besides that...
I successfully drained the engine oil, coolant and tranny fluid. Unbolted the slave cyl, tranny mounts, motor mounts, and that little dampener strut under the starter. I simply cut the rubber fuel lines, and undid all the grounds. Removed coolant hoses and IC pipes, clutch fan.
Tomorrow I will pull the harness through the firewall and remove the engine.
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Keep going man personaly id go with 2jz? but each man to his own 1uz is a rare swap, do w-e fits you man
laotionracer101;1549648 said:
Thanks bro, I already got this guy... so I want to try something a little different. I can get a complete SC4 front clip local for less than $500. that just leaves me with more work to d oand parts to buy to make it work or to even come close to the price of a JDM 1JZ/R154 swap.
dude we have a full 1uz swap for you if you want
take everything you want includin tranny for 500
take everything you want includin tranny for 500